Acquisition of a painting by Thomas Alexander Harrison

At a public sale held in Louviers on 15 November, the Société des Amis de Marcel Proust was able to acquire a "Coucher de soleil sur la mer", painted by Thomas Alexander Harrison (1853-1930). Proust had met this American painter during his stay in Beg-Meil in 1895, and he made him one of the models for Elstir. Furthermore, poetic descriptions of sunrises and sunsets over the sea appear in Jean Santeuil and À la recherche du temps perdu.

For these various reasons, this work represents a significant enrichment of our collections, which already included a painting by Harrison depicting the beach at Beg-Meil (see: /assets/actualites/archive-ancien-site/docspdf-brochure-harrison-enligne.pdf). Thanks to the State authorities who authorised us to make use of pre-emption, and thanks to our patrons and members, without whom the enrichment of our collections would be impossible.

The work will shortly be presented at the Maison de Tante Léonie - Musée Marcel Proust in Illiers-Combray